2 The Spectre

On the chilly dungeon floor, Johnny's eyes snapped open, brimming with a fierce determination.

"You think you can toss me out for the wolves to feast on? I'll carve you both up before that happens!" Johnny's voice dripped with menace.

With a swift mental command, Johnny unleashed a surge of dark energy, swirling around him like a sinister mist.

In the blink of an eye, wisps of mist gathered, coalescing into a gruesome figure. A humanoid form emerged, shrouded in decay and tattered fabric, its elongated arms stretched out like skeletal branches, each fingertip adorned with razor-sharp claws gleaming with an otherworldly sheen. Shadows danced and writhed around its twisted form, casting eerie patterns across the ground.

As the mist dissipated, the full horror became apparent—a ghastly apparition, its features obscured by the darkness that seemed to emanate from within. A palpable aura of dread hung heavy in the air, sending shivers down the spine of all who beheld it.

This ghastly apparition was the Specter summoned by Johnny.

"At your service my lord..." The Specterly figure's voice echoed in Johnny's mind, devoid of physical sound as it dutifully saluted him.

Despite its chilling appearance, Johnny felt a strange sense of control and loyalty emanating from the undead creature, soothing any apprehension he might have had.

As the guards drew nearer, their footsteps echoing in the dungeon, Johnny's pulse quickened, but his resolve remained firm. With a calm command, he instructed the Specter.

"Eliminate those two." His voice held a hint of anticipation, tinged with a newfound sense of power.

"Consider it done my lord," came the Specter's silent response, ready to carry out Johnny's bidding without hesitation.

After receiving the command, the Specter raised its arm and swiftly attacked the prison door made of special metal. The clash of gold and iron echoed softly as the Specter's sharp claws tore through the sturdy barrier, effortlessly breaking it into several pieces. The cut was clean and precise.

"There's trouble!" A guard's alarmed voice shattered the calm as he noticed the disturbance.

But it was too late.

The sound of flesh being rent apart filled the air as five gruesome wounds appeared on the guard's body, as if inflicted by the claws of a savage beast. Blood sprayed, and he collapsed, lifeless, in an instant.

"What's going on?!" The remaining guard's eyes widened in horror at the sudden death of his comrade.

His gaze then fell upon a humanoid figure before him, skeletal and grotesque, like a demon risen from the depths of nightmare.

This was the hallmark of the Specter - stealth until the moment of attack, unseen until it struck.

"Who... what are you?" The guard's voice trembled with fear, but before he could utter another word, the Specter swiftly silenced him, its claw claiming another victim.

Two corpses now littered the ground, blood pooling around them, filling the air with a metallic tang.

"The task is complete. Any further instructions my lord?" The Specter's voice echoed in Johnny's mind as it stood amidst the carnage, having dispatched the guards without hesitation.

"You've done well. Now, continue eliminating the guards outside... and clear an escape path for me!"

Johnny commanded, though the strong scent of blood made him uneasy. Yet, Johnny felt no remorse for the deaths of these guards. He would show no mercy to those who sought his life.

"Specter, proceed... What? What are you doing?"

Johnny began to direct the Specter to eliminate the remaining guards outside, but to his astonishment, the Specter suddenly lunged towards the two lifeless bodies.

Its withered mouth stretched impossibly wide, revealing razor-sharp fangs as it began to voraciously feast upon the corpses of the fallen guards.

Witnessing the gruesome sight of the Specter feasting on the guards' remains made Johnny's stomach churn, a wave of nausea threatening to overcome him. He quickly averted his gaze, unable to bear the sight.

"The feast... it's delicious, thank you my lord..."

The Specter munched on the guards' corpses, its voice echoing in Johnny's mind.

Blood sprayed, hues ranging from white to yellow to red. Johnny stole a glance before turning away hastily.

The Specter devoured much quicker than Johnny anticipated.

By the time he began to acclimate to the strong scent of blood, the guards' bodies vanished, leaving behind pale skeletons with scraps of flesh clinging to them.

"I feel... a surge of warmth in my body?"

Johnny noticed a heat emanating from within him. Clenching his fists, he realized his muscles had hardened, his strength significantly enhanced.

Devour!

Johnny swiftly grasped that this was the feedback from the System!

Feasting on the enemy's flesh and blood could bolster both host and summoned creatures' strength.

Moreover, Johnny sensed an unfamiliar energy brewing within him.

Though faint, Johnny couldn't yet wield it.

"What sort of energy is this?"

Johnny probed his body, trying to comprehend the strange energy.

The guard slain by the Specter was an Asgardian, a member of the divine race...

Endowed with divine power!

The realization made Johnny's breath hitch.

Divine power, possessed by Asgardians who deem themselves gods. Like Thor's thunder or Hela's swords, all manifestations of divine power.

Though Asgardians may manifest their divine power differently, its essence remains the same.

"Too scarce..."

Johnny attempted to harness the trace of divine power within him, causing it to fluctuate slightly.

Eyes lighting up, he struck the wall... In the past, Johnny would've felt agony, but now, only a faint indent appeared. A fist imprint!

"I've truly grown stronger! A hint of divine power has made such a difference. If I could devour more gods..."

His heart surged with anticipation.

If devouring could truly enhance him and his summons, the potential power was staggering.

"I was worried before, but now... I welcome more of you!"

His eyes glinted with resolve.

After he woke up here, the guards of Asgard unjustly killed him, denying him even the chance to defend himself... Let strength be his advocate!

Unknowingly, Johnny's mindset underwent a seismic shift.

Freed from the constraints of rules and morality, his soul transformed in this world where strength reigns supreme!